Conventional computer devices can initiate communications with a respective WiFi™ access point in a network to establish a corresponding wireless communication link between the computer device and the selected WiFi™ access point.
Via the established wireless communication link, the computer device is able to communicate a request for content to the WiFi™ access point. The WiFi™ access point, on behalf of the computer device, forwards the request for content to an appropriate server resource. In response to receiving the request, the server resource transmits the requested content to the WiFi™ access point. Thereafter, the WiFi™ access point transmits the requested content over the wireless communication link to the computer device. Accordingly, a computer device can use a wireless access point as an intermediary to retrieve requested data.
A modulation-coding option for communicating between the computer device and WiFi™ access point can be selected depending on an amount of wireless signal attenuation between the between the WiFi™ access point and the corresponding computer device. For example, the amount of signal attenuation can vary based on a number of factors such as distance of separation between the computer device and the WiFi™ access point, a number or types of objects disposed in a respective path between the computer device and the WiFi™ access point, and so on.
Based at least in part on the amount of detected attenuation, the WiFi™ access point dynamically assigns one of multiple different modulation coding options that support a highest possible wireless bit transmission rate.
As mentioned above, the amount of wireless signal attenuation can vary over time. For example, a computer user can move from one location to another, increasing the amount of signal attenuation between the wireless access point and a corresponding computer device.
Thus, according to conventional WiFi™ standards, to accommodate changing conditions, the computer device and/or WiFi™ access point constantly re-negotiates for a highest possible bit rate modulation-coding option possible depending on a current amount of signal attenuation.
Current WiFi™ standards such as IEEE 802.11b/g/n/ac achieve ever-higher rates ranging from 1.1 Mega Bits per Second to 1.3 Gigabits per second by making use of multiple streams (MIMO), Beam-forming and Modulation Coding Options (MCS). These conventional techniques are all designed to maintain a maximum data rate at any particular range and radio frequency link budget.